The Albion College Euphonics

The Euphonics are a mixed group out of Albion College in Albion, Michigan. The group is known for blending musical talent with an impressive light show to present a unique audio and visual experience at each of its shows.

Euphonics music director Jake Sauser took the time to answer questions from A Cappella Blog co-founder Mike Chin.

A Cappella Blog (ACB): Describe a typical Euphonics rehearsal. How often do you guys practice and what do you do to achieve such success by the time you hit the stage? Do rehearsals change before a big show?

Jake Sauser (JS): A typical rehearsal lasts anywhere from 1 to 2 hours, with times being increased when we get closer to concert time. We rehearse twice a week normally, but we usually add an extra rehearsal in the month or so before the concert, so we wind up going 3 times a week. A typical rehearsal begins with officer reports from myself, the program director, the fundraising chair, and the treasurer. Then we warm up, and dive right into the music. When we start a song, we go over it a couple times by singing along with the Finale file; we then put it away until the next rehearsal, when we have solo auditions for the piece and then work on it until we're able to do it without the aid of the piano or Finale file. Then for the next rehearsal, we have it memorized, and then go over stylistic things such as dynamics, etc.

ACB: What can we expect to see from The Euphonics in the future? Any new songs in the works? Any upcoming gigs of note?

JS: We're currently working on several new tunes, as well as rehashing some old ones from previous years. New songs this semester include "Alcohol" by Brad Paisley, "Feel Good Inc." by the Gorillaz, and "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" by KT Tunstall. In terms of gigs, we usually throw one major concert event each semester in the student union on Albion College's campus. These shows typically see an audience of 500+ people over the course of two shows (we have to do 2 shows in order to not break the fire code for the building!). In addition to these major concerts, we also do several side gigs where we sing 2 or 3 songs per gig for minimal pay in order to support the extensive production requirements for the major concerts; we also do workshops with high schools around the southern Michigan area. We try to record a CD once every 2 years, and this year is a recording year for us, so we'll hit the studio in May and hopefully have a new CD out by next fall.

ACB: What is the audition process like for your group?

JS: We have a 2 night process; the first night we have everyone who signed up come in for an audition. We have them sing a solo, and then test them on various vocal things. We then narrow the field, and have call-back auditions for the people who make it, in which they sing another solo, and we test blending and other various vocal things. (I don't want to elaborate on the exact process on the off chance that a potential new member might read this article and then have an upper hand on the other people trying out by knowing how exactly the process works).

ACB: How does your group go about deciding which songs to add to its repertoire?

JS: The music director (myself) has final say over songs that get added and songs that don't. Generally, if someone wants to do a song, it's the responsibility of that person to either arrange it or get someone else to arrange it. Otherwise, I'll meet with the executive board and determine other songs to add for the semester to get us up to the full 15-16 songs that we need for a full concert each semester. We typically get 2 songs professionally arranged per semester through www.totalvocal.com, by our friend Deke Sharon. To pick those songs, we list them on the board and then pick the top two that get voted on to send away for.

ACB: What would you say is the most important element to having a successful collegiate a cappella group?

JS: The most important element, I think anyway, is having the right people involved in the group. Success in Euphonics is largely due to having people who are motivated to do the right amount of work. Having been in the group for 4 years, you can easily tell that our "off" years were at times when people just weren't motivated enough to make the group be all it can be.

ACB: What drew you, personally, to collegiate a cappella in the first place?

JS: Personally, I wanted to be a member of Euphonics because I love that kind of music. Pop and jazz music has always been a passion of mine, and the choirs available at Albion, although strong, don't do those types of music. Euphonics provided that creative outlet to me, for which I will always be grateful, not only for the musical experience, but also the friendships that came along with joining the group.

ACB: What is your favorite song to perform with The Euphonics?

JS: One of my personal favorites was a cover of the Da Vinci's Notebook tune "Title of the Song," which is a farce song making fun of boy band tunes. We did it a couple years ago and it was a smash hit, so we're bringing it back for this semester's concert.

ACB: Is there anything else you would like to share with the readers of The A Cappella Blog?

JS: Thanks to you all for taking the time to read this interview; for more information, booking information, or to purchace Euphonics CDs and other items, don't hesitate to visit our website at http://www.albion.edu/euphonics. Our semester concert is scheduled for May 2. Admission is free; for more information, don't hesitate to email me at jes12@albion.edu. Thanks again!